Controlling mechanism for printing-presses.



APatented Aug. l2, |902.

W. C. WILLIAMS. `CONTRLLING E CHAIIISM FDR PRINTING PRESSES.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY No.- 706,622. Patented Aug. l2, |902.

Y w. c. WILLIAMS. CDNTBULLING HECHANISM FUR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application led Sept. 3, 1901.)

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"0.706,622. Patenten Au |2 19 w. c. WILLIAMS. g 02' I0NTH0I .LINGy MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

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ATTORNEY lzo NITED STATES" PATENT OFFICEl WILLIAM C. IVILLIAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM M. KLEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONTROLLING MECHANl-SM FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,622, dated August 12, 1902. Application filed September 3| 1901. Serial No. 74,105. (No model.)

To (fr/ZZ tlf/tom t may concern..-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have nvented'certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Printing-Presses, of Whichthe following is a specification. l

My invention relates to mechanism for feed.- ing paper or similar material to printingpresses or other machines,'and more particu-` larly to a device which is rendered operative by variations in the material being fed for controlling the `operation of the press or other machine or of some part thereof.

Vhile my invention may be embodied in mechanism designed for various purposesas for use in connection with material in web or in sheet form, or to be rendered operative by variations inthe thickness of the material, or by its presence' or absence, or bythe presence or absence of more than one thickness of the material, or for the purpose of stopping orstarting the entire machine, or of putting some part of it into or out of operative relation-it is more particularly addressedv to the provision of a mechanism adapted for use in connection with machines which separate sheets of paper from a pile and feed them to a printing-press, folding-machine, or the like, the purpose being to detect the presence of more than one sheet and to render a controlling mechanism operative for stopping the machine and also for throwing olf the impression-cylinder in the case of a printingpress.

It is amongthe objects of my invention to provide a mechanism which is positive and reliable in operation and which is simple and cheap in construction and not apt to get out of order; also, to provide a device of the character referred to which will stop the machine promptly and always at the same period of its operation; also, one which Will perform its functions without destroying or misplacing the paper passing to or through the machine; also, one which is particularly adapted for use in connection with fluid-operated controlling mechanism, and one which when. it has performed its functions may be reset and the machine started again with a minimum of delay. These and other objects ot my invention will more clearly appear from the following description.

My invention consists in the novel parts, improvements, and combinations herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings,'which are referred: to herein and form a part hereof, illusvtrate one embodiment of my invention and serve,inconnection'with the description herein, to explain the principles of the invention and the best mode contemplated by me of ap plying those principles.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating my invention as applied to an ordinary form of printing-press. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside View of the sheet-operated mechanism detached. Fig. 4 is a view of the same, partlyin section, takenon the line 4 4, Fig. 3, and partly in elevation as seen from the left ot Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view like that in Fig. 3, but showing the parts in a ditterent position.

Like reference-numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

`Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 represents the frame of an ordinary bed-andcylinder printing-press.

2 represen-ts the impression-cylinder, 3 the feed-board, and 4 the front gages, vfrom which the sheets are taken by the grippers 5 on the impression-cylinder.

6 represents a set of tapes which convey the sheets from any suitable sheet-separating mechanism and deliver them to a second set ot' tapes 7, by which the sheets are presented to the front gages 4. Before the sheets are delivered vto lthe tapes 7 they are preferably stopped temporarily and started again at the proper time to be presented by the tapes 7 to the front gages 4 at the desired instan t" This preliminary timing mechanism may be of any suitableconstruction. Thatshowncomprises a set of front gages 8, mounted on a rockshaft 9, by which they may be moved into or out of the path of the sheets, and a pair of drop-rollers 10, mounted on a rock-shaft ll, by which they may be moved into or out of contact with the roller l2, over which the tapes 7 are passed, the .rock-shaft being so operated that when the gages 8 are moved IOO across the path of the paperthe rollers are moved out of contact with roller 12`and when the gages are moved ont of the path of the paper rollers 10 are moved into contact with the paper, so as to positively forward it with the tapes 7. As shown, shaft 1l is operated by an arm 13, Which is adapted to be engaged by the cam 14. The rock-shaft 9 is provided with an arm 15, to which is connected the free end of a lever 16, which is fulcrumed at the `opposte'end to the frame and is connected at an intermediate point to an arm 17, carried by therock-shaft l1.

In accordance with my invention the sheetoperated devices by which the controlling mechanism of the press is rendered operative are associated with the preliminary timing devices just described, said sheet-operating devices being located one at each side of the machine just in advance of the gages 8. By reason of this construction the operation of the controlling mechanism of the press is accurately timed, so that the press will invariably be stopped at acertain period in its operation.

In accordance with my invention the sheetoperated devices comprise a suitable sheetsupporting or backing7 member, a contact member movably mounted adjacent to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, and suitable connections between the contact member and the controlling mechanism ot' the press. Ac-

cording to certain features of my invention the contact member is in the form of an unbalanced wheel, which is mounted on a movable support, sothat when the controlling mechanism has been operated the contact member will be -released from the material by which it was driven, thus allowing the material to be removed and replaced Without being destroyed and Without deranging the mechanism.

In accordance with the construction shown the sheet-operated devices consist of a frame 20, which may be adjustably mounted on a tubew2l, carried by the frame in which the timing devices are mounted. This frame is provided with an vopen-sided portion 22, which is arranged. parallel with the tube 2l and in such position that it may be made to embrace the edge of the path of the paper at one side of the press. As shown, the backing member consists of a disk or roller 23, which, together with a driving-roller 2l, is

journaled on a shaft 25, mounted at its oppo- -site ends in a yoke 26, which forms a part of the frame 22. LThe contact member comgripped thereby.

shown in Fig. 5.

adjustablymounted in a vertical recess of the frame-section 2 2.

For the purpose ofv adjusting the block 32 so as to bring the contact-wheel 27 into proper relation With the backing-wheel 23 the block 32 is provided at its upper end with a threaded stud 33, which passes through the upper end of the frame 22 and is engaged by an adjusting-nut 34, which is confined in a suitable recess in said frame. A clampingbolt 35 is provided to firmly hold the block 32 in its adjusted position, said bolt passing through the frame 22 and a slotted opening in the block 32 and being provided with a clamp-nut 36.

In order that the lever 30 may be rocked so as to release the contact-wheel 27 from the material, a stop 37 is arranged to be engaged by a shoulder 38 on the wheel, so as to limit the rotation of the latter and cause it to be carried along with the material when it is In this Way the lever 30 will be rocked on its pivot, so as to release the contact-wheel from the paper, as clearly The stop 37 is preferably mounted on the lever 30, as in this Way all the force applied to the contact -Wheel is utilized for turning the lever 30 on its pivot. As shown, moreover, the stop 30 is so arranged in a recess in the Wheel that the latter turns quite a distance before the shoulder 38 comes lin contact with stop 37, the impact of the wheel thus produced acting in addition to the driving force of the material to move the lever 30 in such direction as to release the wheel from pressure contact with the material. Any suitable means may be provided to hold the contact-Wheel in its normal position. Preferably, however, this is accomplished by the weighted side 28, as by reason of this construction the Wheel is kept in a continual state of oscillation. This not only prevents the Wheel from sticking on its pivot, but it constitutes a reliable and accurate means of determining when the wheel is in proper adjustment.

The impelling -force of the sheets on the contact member may be increased by nurling the surface of the backingroller 23 and passing one of the driving-tapes 7 over the roller 24, the roller 23 being thus caused to positively drive the sheets, and With them the contact device when it is gripped by the sheets.

The contact-Wheel may be connected with the controlling mechanism of the press in any suitable way. In accordance with the preferred construction the press is provided with Huid operated controlling mechanism,

and the sheet-operated devices are provided With a controlling device for the operating fluid. To this end the block 32 is provided with a port 39, communicating with the chamber 40, which in turn is connected, by means of a liexible pipe 3l, with the tube 21, which communicates with and forms a part of the controlling mechanism of the press. The

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port 39 is normally closed by valve li2, which for convenience is mountedl on the leverl 30, a stop 43 being provided to fix the normal position of the parts. This construction is particularly adapted for use in connection with press-controlling mechanism which is normally withheld from operation by means of a partial vacuum the destruction of which permits the mechanism to perform its function. In this case the opening of port 39 permits air to enter pipe 2l and destroy the vacuum therein. Thus the valve 42 constitutes a controlling devicefor the operating iiuid of the controlling mechanism of the press.

My invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the precise construction shown,

nor to the exact construction by Whichithas been or may be carried into effect, as many changes other than those herein suggested may be made in such construction Without departing from the main principles of my invention or sacrificing its chief advantages.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

l. In a device of the character specified, the combination With a suitable backing member, of a contact member journaled adjacent to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, a suitable controlling device constructed to be operated by said contact member, and means Whereby the contact member is released from the material after operating the controlling de` vice.

2. In a device of the character specified, the combination With a suitable backing member, of a contact member journaledadjacent'to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, a suitable controlling device constructed to be operated by said contact member, means for normally withholding said contact member from engagement with said controlling device, and means whereby the contact member is released from the material after engaging the controlling device.

3. In a device of the character specilied, the combination with a suitable backing member, of an unbalanced contact member journaled adjacent to said backing member, said con-` tact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thick ness of the material passing `through the de-` vice, a suitable controlling device constructed to be operated by said contact member, and means whereby the contact member is released from the material after operating the controlling device.

4. In a device of the character specified, the

combination with a'suitable backing member,` 0f a support movably mounted adjacent to` said backing member, a contact member journaled on said support, said contact member having a bearing surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing througlithe device, and a controlling device constructed to be operatedby said contact member, the construction being such that the contact member is released from the material after operating the controlling device.

5. In a device of the characterspecitied,the combination with a suitable backing member, of a support movably mounted adjacent to said backing-member, a contact member journaled on said support, said contact member having a `bearingsurface arranged to be y gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, a controlling device constructed to be operated by said ling device connected to said support, and a` stop for limiting the movement of the contact member whereby the support is caused to operate the controlling device and to release the contact member from the'material.

7. In a device of the character specified, the

combination with a backing-roller, of a lever pivoted adjacent to said roller, an unbalanced contact-Wheel journaled on said lever, said wheel having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, acontrolling device connected to said lever, and a stop carried by said lever for limiting the movement of the contact-Wheel whereby said lever is caused to operate the controlling device and to release ythe contact-Wheel from the material.

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8. In a device ofthe character specified, the

combination with a suitable backing member, of a contact member journaled adjacent to said Vbacking member, said contact member having a bearingsurface arrangedA to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, a Huid-operated controlling mechanism, a device for controlling the operating fluid constructed to be operated by said contact member, and

leased from the material after operatingvthe controlling device, y I f 9. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a backing-roller, of a lever pivoted adjacent to said roller, an unbalanced contact-wheel journaled on said lever, said means whereby the contact member is `re-` wheel having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device, a fluidoperated controlling mechanism, a valve for controlling theoperating fluid connected to said lever, and a stop carried by said lever for limiting the movement of the contactwheel whereby said lever is caused to operate the controlling device and to release the contact-wheel from the material.

10. In a device of the character specified, the combinationwith a fluid-operated controlling mechanism, of a valve for controlling the operating iiuid, and means for operating said valve comprising asuitable backing member, 'a contact member movably mounted adjacent to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device and means whereby the contact member is released from the material after the valve has been operated.

11. In a device for feeding sheets of paper or similar material to a printing press or other machine having front gages the combination with means for conveying the sheet to the machine, of means independent of the machine for timing the passage of the sheets to the machine, and a sheet-operated device for controlling the machine located between said timing means and the sheets when the latter are in position against the front gages of the machine.

12. In a device for feeding sheets of paperl or similar 4material to a printing-press or other machine having front gages the combination with means for conveying the sheet to the machine, of means independent of the machine for timing the passage of the sheets to the machine, and a device operated by an abnormal thickness of material for controlling the machine located between. said timing j means and the sheets when the latter are in position against the front gages of the machine.

13. In a device for feeding sheets of paper or similar material to a printing-press or other machine having front gages the combination with means for conveying the sheet to the machine, of means independent of the machine for timing the passage of the sheets to ing member` and having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of material passing through the device.

14. In a device for feeding sheets of paper or similar material to a printing-press or other machine the combination with means for conve'ying the sheet to the machine, of means independent of the machine for timing the passage of the sheets to the machine, and a sheetoperated device for controlling the machine located between said timing means and the machine, said sheet-operated device consisting of a backing member, and a contact member movably mounted adjacent to said backing member and having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of material passing through the device, and means whereby the contact member is released from the material after the controlling device has been operated.

15. In a device of the character specied, the combination with a fluid-operated controlling mechanism includinga tube mounted transversely to the path of the paper in the machine and an arm adjustably mounted on said tube, said arm having a valve-port connected to said tube by a eXible pipe, of a controlling-valve mounted on said arm, and

meansrendered operative by an abnormal thickness of material for operating said valve.

16. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a Huid-operated controlling mechanism includinga tube mounted transversely to the path of the paper in the machine and an arm adjustably mounted on said tube, said arm having a valve-port connected to said tube by a flexible pipe, of a controlling-valve mounted on said arm, and means for operating said valve comprising a suitablebacking member and a contact member movably mounted adjacent to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal thickness of the material passing through the device.

17. In a device of the character specified, the 'combination with a huid-operated controlling mechanism includingatube mounted transversely to the path of the paper in the machine and an arm adjustably mounted ou said tube, said arm having a valve-port connected to said tube by a Iiexible pipe, of a controlling-valve mounted on said arm, and means for operating said valve comprising a suitable backing member and a contact member movably mounted adjacent to said backing member, said contact member having a bearing-surface arranged to be gripped by an abnormal-thickness of the material passing through the device, and means whereby the contact member is released from the material after the device has been operated.

Signed at New York city, in the county of' New York and State of New York, this 13th day of August, A. D. 1901.

WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN SEGER, JOHN O. GEMPLER.

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